[EDLING:1803] [Fwd: International Symposium on African and Diasporic Languages and Education]

Fri Aug 25 16:59:09 UTC 2006

Greetings! I am writing to inform you of the exciting upcoming 
*International Symposium on African and Diasporic Languages and 
Education at Teachers College, Columbia University*.
The African Union has declared 2006 the Year of African Language! In 
celebration of this affirmation, renowned international scholars, 
educators, and policy-makers are gathering at Teachers College, Columbia 
University to share educational visions and design in language and 
literacy education associated with speakers of various African 
languages, Creole languages and dialects, and African American English.
Based on the theme of *paradigms, practices and politics of language in 
education*, the three-day symposium combines theoretical presentations 
with educational development sessions and roundtable discussions among 
educators, policymakers, and language scholars. The symposium highlights 
a different language group each day, beginning with an exploration of 
the cultural, historical, and linguistic roots of African language, 
education, and policy on the African continent as well as in the United 
States. The second day focuses on Creole-speaking regions, investigating 
the interface between language, education, and policy, and the third day 
turns to the sociolinguistic situation in the United States, this time 
addressing these questions for speakers of African American English.
This symposium not only is of interest to scholars and educators 
interested in African and the Diaspora but also (just to name a few)

    * scholars and educators who are interested in language and language
      education policy,
    * international educational development/comparative education
      scholars who are interested in educational practices and policies,
    * scholars and educators who are concerned about how immigrants,
      migrants, and refugees with interrupted formal education are
      assisted in the US educational system,
    * educators who want new approaches to differentiated instruction
      for students from Africa and the diaspora, and
    * students who want to broaden their knowledge of language
      development, language education, politics of/ around languages,
      Africa, the Caribbean, the United States, and international,
      national and local education and immigration policies.

This conference lies at the nexus of all of these important issues. 
Come, and find out for yourself! The information about the conference is 
below. Click on the image below to get to our website, or go straight to 
http://www.tc.edu/ceoi/multiplelanguages.
Also posted below is the *CALL FOR POSTERS*, which we are sending out to 
both academia and public school teachers/administrators. *_Please feel 
free to forward this information along!_*
Best Wishes,
Maureen Matarese
Conference Coordinator
Doctoral Candidate
Teachers College, Columbia University
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Click on the image below to to get to our website. If you do not see the 
image below, visit http://www.tc.edu/ceoi/multiplelanguages for complete 
information on the upcoming International Symposium on African & 
Diasporic Languages & Education at Teachers College.

International Symposium on African & Diasporic Languages and Education 
<http://continuingeducation.tc.columbia.edu/default.aspx?pageid=527> 	
International Symposium on African & Diasporic Languages and Education 
<http://continuingeducation.tc.columbia.edu/default.aspx?pageid=527> 	
International Symposium on African & Diasporic Languages and Education 
<http://continuingeducation.tc.columbia.edu/default.aspx?pageid=527> 	
International Symposium on African & Diasporic Languages and Education 
<http://continuingeducation.tc.columbia.edu/default.aspx?pageid=527> 	
International Symposium on African & Diasporic Languages and Education 
<http://continuingeducation.tc.columbia.edu/default.aspx?pageid=527>
If you do not see the image above, visit 
http://www.tc.edu/ceoi/multiplelanguages for complete information on the 
upcoming International Symposium on African & Diasporic Languages & 
Education.

  International Symposium on African & Diasporic Languages

  and Education

*Call for Posters***
The Center for Multiple Languages and Literacies invites teachers and 
graduate students to submit abstracts for a poster session, which will 
be held as part of the 3 day International Symposium on African & 
Diasporic Languages and Education. This Symposium will bring together 
international scholars, educators, and policy-makers to share 
educational visions and design in language and literacy education 
associated with speakers of African languages, Creole languages and 
African American English (for more details, see Symposium website: 
http://www.tc.edu/ceoi/multiplelanguages.
Following the Symposium’s theme of /paradigms, practices and politics of 
language in education/, poster presenters are invited to prepare 
material that demonstrates the link between research and teaching and/or 
language education policy. Teachers and graduate students may explore 
issues around language and education in Africa or the education of 
African immigrants to the Americas, examine these issues for Creole 
speakers, or address these questions for speakers of African American 
English. Alternatively, they may compare and contrast concerns across 
these language groups. Poster sessions might include but are not limited 
to 1) pedagogical posters from teachers about creative ways that they 
have integrated African, Creole and/or African American language into 
their classrooms or 2) posters that describe current innovative research 
on this topic.
By participating in the poster session, authors will have the 
opportunity to discuss their work with the internationally-known 
scholars who will attend the Symposium and interact with other teachers 
dealing with similar issues. The goal is to encourage a support network 
for circulating information on research, policy and practice.
To submit a poster for the poster session, please send the following 
information by *September 15:*

    * Poster Title
    * Author Information:
                + Name:
                + Institution Affiliation:
                + Address:
                + Phone:
                + Fax:
                + Email:
                + Names of additional authors
    * A 250 - word Abstract

Send this information in a Word document to *adle at tc.columbia.edu 
<mailto:adle at tc.columbia.edu>*. Receipt of submissions will be 
acknowledged via email within 72 hours. Please write “POSTER SESSION” in 
the subject heading of your email.
There will be a dedicated poster session on Thursday October 5^th from 
5:05-6:30pm when poster presenters will be available for questions and 
discussion. Outside this poster session, posters will be on continuous 
display for the duration of the Symposium.
Those whose posters are accepted will be notified about further details 
regarding support and supplies for setting up posters as well as 
guidelines for display.
For further information, please contact Tavis Jules at tdj2101 at tc.edu 
<mailto:tdj2101 at tc.edu>

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